Business Planning

Booking this course
If you would like to talk to us about running a Business Planning course, please contact us: Tel + 44 (0)1789 734343 or email us at admin@proskill.co.uk  

To be proactive, managers must plan. A good business plan provides an effective framework for managers to analyse the key issues and form plans that can be communicated with the necessary people.

Overview
A well-structured business plan is invaluable as a communication tool, upwards and downwards. It aids discussion and ownership. It allows the manager/team leader/supervisor to reflect fully and effectively. Poor business plans are difficult to read and understand. Such plans often lack valuable perspectives. Poor business planning is a waste of management time and is often counter-productive. In many instances there is no business plan. This results in a reactive situation where the ability to progress and change is reduced.

In this practical and stimulating course, participants will learn the key skills and models required to create effective plans.

Who Should Attend
Anyone who is responsible for the business elements of management.

Duration
2 Days

Business Planning – Course Objectives

Participants will learn:

• where and why to use Business Planning
• how to create effective directional statements and avoid common errors
• how to use proven tools to perform analysis and reach workable conclusions. Optional tools are also explored
• how to convert conclusions into effective strategies, aims, objectives and forecasts
• present and discuss the business plans they have created
• how to modify the format to encompass other aspects and users
• to monitor the plans success
• how to increase the effectiveness of the document created

Business Planning – Course Outline

Business Planning
The planning process, Objective
The components of a good business plan

Setting The Direction
Mission Statement, Vision, Values

Analysis & Conclusions
Business climate
Organisation (S.W.O.T., Orientation, Competitive Stance)
Competitors (S.W.O.T., Segments, Strategies, Competitive Stance, Self-Perception)
Segmentation (Customer Profile, Innovation Curve, Directional Policy Matrix)
Product/Service (S.W.O.T., Life Cycle, Ansoff, Benefits, Boston Matrix)
Place (Options, Advantages, Intermediaries, Sales forces)
Price (Factors, Methods, Discrimination, Approaches, Changes)
Promotion (Options, Assessment)
Success factors, Force-Field Analysis

The Plan
Concepts, Strategy summary
Aims & Objectives
Financial Forecasts, Common Errors

Alternative Uses Of Business Plans
Justification
Finance
Consolidation of business units

Monitoring
Use of monthly/periodic reports
Common errors

Polishing The Business Plan
Profiling the readership
How to increase the understanding
How to increase the interest created in your plan
How to increase the readability
How to increase the ‘attractiveness’ of the document
For more information please contact us on + 44 (0)1789 734343